Fork lift refuse bin and baler accessory

ABSTRACT

A fork lift operated refuse baler having a base upon which the forward wheels of a fork lift truck may be placed; the vertical guide secured to the base and supporting a compressor member at its upper end; and an open top refuse hopper or bin mounted for vertical reciprocation on the guide and dimensioned for receiving the compressor member into the open top of the bin, the hopper being engaged by the forks of the lift truck for elevation to the compressor member for compaction of refuse in the hopper.

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S .dfl UH t n e. t P 8 .t a t S d e F 3,593,654 7/1971 a fie d.............'.....Lloo/229- FORK LIFT BIN AND BALER ACCESSORY [72] Inventor:

Jay R. Guhl, 540 Callan Avenue,- San Leandro, Calif. 94577 June 14, 1971' [21] Appl.No.: 152,710

Primary Examiner-Walter A. Scheel Assistant Examiner-C. K. Moore Attorney-Manfred M. Warren et a].

[22] Filed:

ABSTRACT A fork lift operated refuse baler having a base upon which the forward wheels of a fork lift truck may be placed; the vertical guide secured to the base and supporting a compressor member at its upper end; and an open top refuse hopper or bin mounted for vertical reciprocation on the .guide and dimensioned for receiving the compressor member into the open top of the bin, the hopper being engaged by the forks of the lift truck for elevation to the compressor member for compaction of refuse in the hopper.

56 v 1 0% yZ m .0 $09 032 B2 1 m0 5 0 5 01 R 0m 0 l 4 9 2 R m "3 w 5 2 w W m l c "r "mam L m l0 W d l m U.mF 11 218 555 iii l00/DlG. 15; 214/302 [56] 7 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,922,360 1/1960 Monk,Jr..............;.100/229R 3,242,851 3/1966 Brawley et al. ........l 0O/l00 X 7 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP 19 m2 SHEET 1 IF 3 INVENTOR. JAY R. GUHL P'ATENTEBsEm m2 3.691.945

sum 2 or 3 INVENTOR. JAY R. GUHL ATTOR PMENTEnsms m2 3.691.945

sum 3 or 3 INVENTOR. JAY R. GUHL ATTORNEYS FORK LIFT REFUSE BIN AND BALER ACCESSORY The invention relates to fork lift operated equipment and to refuse balers.

Power operated fork lifts are widely used in industrial plants and material handling and storage facilities which also frequently generate substantial quantities of compressible refuse such as paper goods, boxes and the like. It is an object of the present inventionto provide a refuse baler which is designed as an accessory for a, fork lift and which utilizes the power capabilities and maneuverability of the fork lift for effecting the compaction of refuse into compressed, easily handled bales. Another object of the present invention is to provide apparatus of the character described which is essentially a bin or hopper normally separate from the fork lift and useful for receipt of refuse. During periods of accumulation of refuse, the fork lift is free for performing other duties in and about the plant and will be placed in operative association with the accessory only periodically as refuse is accumulated.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which of the foregoing will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the Claims.

Referring to said drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fork lift refuse bin and baler accessory constructed in accordance with the present invention and shown in operativeassociation with a fork lift truck. I

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the accessory.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the accessory.

FIG. 4 is a plan sectional view of the accessory taken substantially on the plane of line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 5-5 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a vertical front sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 6--6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially on the plane of line 7- 7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the accessory showing its movement into folded, compacted position.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the operative association of the accessory and fork lift truck for pickup and movement of the accessory.

The fork lift bin and baler accessory of the present invention comprises briefly a base 16 formed and adapted for supporting a fork lift truck 17; a guide 18 mounted on and attached to base 16 and extending upright therefrom; a compressor member 19 carried by guide 18; and an open top refuse bin or hopper 21 mounted on guide 18 for vertical reciprocation and dimensioned for receiving compressor member 19 into the open top of the bin for compressing refuse therein, the bin being formed for engagement by the forks 22 and 23 of lift truck 17 for elevation to compressor member 19.

The present structure is designed to take advantage of the full power operating capacity of a standard fork lift, up to about 6,000 pounds force, for obtaining required refuse compaction in an optimum size hopper.

Accordingly, the various 'parts are ruggedly conhopper is normally supported on a pair of spaced base channels 28 and 29 with the bottom 27 overhanging the channels for engagement by lift forks 22 and 23 when the lift truck is driven onto base plate 16. The bottom wall 27 of the hopper is here constructed with a plate and a plurality of side-by-side inverted channels 31 thereon extending width-wise of the bottom, perpendicular to forks 22 and 23 for carrying the load.

The vertical guide 18 here comprises a solid transverse side wall 32 and inturned integral confronting channel portions 33 and 34 which extend longitudinally alongthe opposite edges of wall 32 over its substantially full height. The back wall 36 of the hopper is formed with confronting channel portions 37 and 38 and a connecting side wall 39 which are dimensioned to slidably and telescopically embrace channel portions 33 and 34 of the guide. It will be noted from FIG. 4 that wall 39 is disposed opposite to wall 32 so that the guide and mounting means for the hopper provides a very rigid box-like structure. Channels 37 and 38 and wall 39 extend over the full height of the rear hopper wall 36 so as to provide continuous vertical reinforcement and support for the wall.

In accordance with the present invention, guide 18 is pivotally attached to base 16 so that the structure is automatically self-aligning to the applied elevating forces. As here shown, a pivot shaft 41 is here carried by a pair of upstanding ears 42 and 43 secured to base plate 16 at opposite sides of channels 33 ad 34, and which is threaded through aligned openings in channels 33 and 34 and in reinforcing plates 46 and 47 attached to the channels. The pivotal axis for the guide is thus disposed perpendicularly to the direction of approach of the lift truck and the length of forks 22 and 23. It will be noted that the width of the guide 18 is less than the standard spacing between forks 22 and 23 so that the guide will fit between the forks; and that the base plate 16 and bottom wall 27 extend laterally from opposite sides of the guide and are substantially wider than the guide for engagement with the truck wheels and forks, respectively.

Compressor member 19 here comprises a plurality of channels 51 mounted substantially edge to edge on a backing plate 52 secured along its rear edge to guide wall 32. Plate 52 and channels 51 are supported in cantilevered fashion from wall 32 by a hood-like structure 53. This arrangement disposes the compressor member, and more specifically the array of channels 51, horizontally offset from guide 32 and in alignment with hopper 21. The configuration of the hopper and compressor member may be varied as desired. As here shown, both are rectangular with the dimensions of the compressor member smaller than the interior dimensions of the bin for movement of the bin telescopically over the compressor member to compact refuse in the bin, the compaction occurring between the compressor member and the bottom wall of the bin. In such compression, it will be noted that guide 18 carries the load in tension.

As another feature of the present invention, hopper 21 is provided with an openable side for removing a compressed bale therefrom. As here shown, the bottom and back walls 27 and 36 of the hopper are integrally attached and the openable side comprises a pair of side walls 56 and S7 pivoted to back wall 36 and having integral front wall sections 58 and 59 which swing into abutment in the closed position of the hopper, and which swing apart to provide an open position of the hopper. As will be seen from FIG. 4, side walls 56 and 57 are pivoted to rear wall 36 by vertical hinge pins 61 and 62. A manually operated latch 63 is provided for holding the hopper walls in closed position. Latch 63 here comprises a manually engageable lever 64 secured to wall 59 and an over-center pivoted link 66 detachably secured to wall 58. v

The refuse bin and baler accessory of the present invention will normally be located in a plant for convenient accumulation of refuse. When compaction and baling is desired, fork lift truck will be driven onto base plate 16, forks 22 and 23 entered under the hopper, and the latter elevated to compressor member 19 for compaction of refuse therein. The full power capability of the fork lift may be used in this compaction, the load being carried between base 16 and compressor member 19 with guide 18 operating in tension. After compaction of the refuse in the hopper, the latter is lowered to its normal floor-supportedposition and the fork lift may be removed for other uses. Latch 63 will be operated to open the hopper. Baling wire will be placed around the compressed refuse bale and the latter removed from the hopper. The hopper will then again be closed for receipt of a new accumulation of refuse. Should it be desired to change the location of the accessory to another place in the plant, the fork lift truck will approach the unit from the opposite side, that is from the hopper side of the unit, see FIG. 9. Forks 22 and 23 will then be placed under compressor member 19 to elevate the total structure for transporting to a new location. In this connection it will be noted that compressor member 19, like hopper 21, is wider than guide 18 and forks 22 and 23 are somewhat longer thanthe front-to-back dimension of the unit so as to engage the underside of the compressor member in straddling relation to guide 18.

Another feature of the present construction is that it may be folded into a compact arrangement for storage or shipment. By reason of the pivot connection of the guide and base, guide 18 together with hopper 21 and compressor member 19, may be laid back into a supine position of guide 18 upon plate 16. This positioning of the parts may be conveniently effected by the use of the fork lift in the following manner. The forks 22 and 23 are engaged under hopper 21 and the latter raised to compressor member 19. The lifting tower of the fork lift will be tilted backwardly, that is toward the fork lift truck causing guide 18 and the hopper and compressor member to swing rearwardly in the direction of plate 16. Subsequent backing off of the fork lift and manipu lation of the forks will lower the guide to its supine position illustrated in FIG. 8.

Iclaim: 1. A fork lift refuse bin and baler accessory comprisa base formed and adapted for supporting a fork lift a inounted on and attached to said base and extending upright therefrom: a compressor member carried by said guide; and an open top refuse hopper mounted on said guide for vertical reciprocation and dimensioned for receiving said compressor member into the open top thereof for compressing refuse therein, said hopper being formed for engagement by the forks of a fork lift truck for elevation to said compressor member. 2. A fork lift accessory as defined in claim 1, wherein said guide is pivotally attached to said base.

3. A fork lift accessory as defined in claim 2, said base extending laterally from said guide for receiving and supporting the wheels of a fork lift truck.

said base to a supine position on said base.

7. A fork lift accessory as defined in claim 5, said hopper having integral back and bottom walls, said channels being secured to said back wall; and said openable side comprising:

a pair of side walls pivoted to said back wall and front wall sections integral with said side walls and mounted in abutment in a closed position of said hopper and movable with said side walls to an open position of said hopper; and

a manually operated latch for holding said hopper in closed position. v 

1. A fork lift refuse bin and baler accessory comprising: a base formed and adapted for supporting a fork lift truck; a guide mounted on and attached to said base and extending upright therefrom:: a compressor member carried by said guide; and an open top refuse hopper mounted on said guide for vertical reciprocation and dimensioned for receiving said compressor member into the open top thereof for compressing refuse therein, said hopper being formed for engagement by the forks of a fork lift truck for elevation to said compressor member.
 2. A fork lift accessory as defined in claim 1, wherein said guide is pivotally attached to said base.
 3. A fork lift accessory as defined in claim 2, said base extending laterally from said guide for receiving and supporting the wheels of a fork lift truck.
 4. A fork lift accessory ad defined in claim 3, said hopper having an openable side for removing a compressed bale therefrom.
 5. A fork lift accessory as defined in claim 4, said guide having a side wall and inturned integral confronting channel portions extending longitudinally along opposite edgEs of said wall; and mounting means for said hopper having opposed confronting channels telescopically slidably engaging said channel portions.
 6. A fork lift accessory as defined in claim 5, said guide being movable about its pivotal attachment to said base to a supine position on said base.
 7. A fork lift accessory as defined in claim 5, said hopper having integral back and bottom walls, said channels being secured to said back wall; and said openable side comprising: a pair of side walls pivoted to said back wall and front wall sections integral with said side walls and mounted in abutment in a closed position of said hopper and movable with said side walls to an open position of said hopper; and a manually operated latch for holding said hopper in closed position. 